


If You See Her...

by soldiermom1973



Series: 1,000 years (A Reconciliation Story) [42]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect - Various Authors, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Anxiety, F/M, Gen, Mars, PTSD, Panic Attack, Post-Reaper War, Red - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:49:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27331477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soldiermom1973/pseuds/soldiermom1973
Summary: Allie visits Mars for the first time after the war.  Memories of nearly losing Kaidan trigger a panic attack, but fortunately Liara is there to help her out.
Relationships: Female Shepard & Liara T'Soni, Kaidan Alenko & Female Shepard
Series: 1,000 years (A Reconciliation Story) [42]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1460416
Kudos: 3





	If You See Her...

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [N7 Month](https://n7month.tumblr.com/post/631981099607785472/n7-month-2020) over on tumblr. The Day 1 prompt was 'Red'.
> 
> This has been barely edited because it's NaNo, so apologies for any glaring errors.

Allie had been to Mars quite a few times after the war. Even though the galaxy now had a living, breathing Prothean in its population, Javik couldn't often be bothered to help the archaeologists and historians figure out what all of the artifacts on Mars meant or could be used for. Thanks to Liara, it was also fairly common knowledge among Prothean academics that Allie was a good substitute, thanks to the cipher she received in '83.

All signs of Cerberus's violence had long been removed. Scorch marks and bullet holes were patched and painted over. Equipment was repaired. Souls were remembered with a monument and wall not unlike the memorial wall on the Normandy. It was as though nothing had ever happened. It all changed, yet everything remained the same.

Including the landing platform where Kaidan nearly lost his life.

The first time Allie set foot on it after the war, she didn't realize where she was right away. Then a strong sense of deja vu overwhelmed her and she struggled to control the panic rising in her chest. Kaidan wasn't there, she reminded herself. He was back on earth, teaching. He was alive. Unharmed. Perfectly fine.

Fortunately, Liara knew her friend well enough to noticed her distress. The asari hurried to Allie's side and put a comforting arm around her shoulder, helping ground the commander and reminding her that everything was and would be ok.

Liara's touch wasn't quite enough, so she guided Allie to one of the safety rails. Allie griped the metal so hard she was certain her knuckles were white under her gloves. She tried to focus on the fine, red sand that coated the rail – particles so powdery they seemed more pink than red. She glanced up in the sky, trying to gauge their location so she could visualize where earth might be. Where Kaidan might be.

A gentle hand on her shoulder brought her out of her thoughts. “Do you want me to call him?” she offered. “Maybe hearing his voice...”

“No.” Allie's response was sharp and brokered no discussion. “I hardly doubt he'd welcome a call from me.”

A heavy sigh sounded beside her. “You don't have to talk to him, Allie,” she said. “I can call and you can just listen. It might help calm you.”

Allie gave it a moment's thought before finally nodding her head. She hadn't seen him since before she was discharged from the hospital and while they occasionally exchanged messages, they hadn't actually spoken for nearly a year. Maybe hearing his voice would help soothe her anxiety. She let Liara lead her though an airlock and waited while her friend made the call.

A soft smile crept across Allie's face when Kaidan picked up on the other end. The pair made minor chit chat – nothing out of the ordinary, just two friends catching up as friends sometimes do. An ache clamped around her chest when Kaidan asked how Allie was doing.

“She's fine,” Liara answered. “I actually just talked to her before I called you. She asked about you.”

Allie shot her friend a dirty look that immediately softened when she heard the excitement in Kaidan's voice. “She did?”

“Yeah. She worries about you. Anyway,” Liara changed the subject when Allie smacked her arm. “I just wanted to touch base with you. It was good to hear your voice.”

“You, too, Liara. And when you see Allie again, please let her know I said hi. And that I think about her.” There was a brief pause before he added, “I miss her.”

“I know, Kaidan. I'll tell her.”

Liara disconnected the call and gave Allie a knowing look. “Feel better?” she asked.

“Yeah,” she murmured, staring at Liara's omnitool. She had a feeling Liara knew and though she wasn't about to admit it out loud, Allie missed Kaidan, too.


End file.
